Canada Considers copying the DMCA

crisco_oil writes "It looks like Canada is considering copying the USA's DMCA."

Slashdot Responds

[KinkifyTheNation]

"Okay."

Canadian Slashdotters Respond

[MarkGriz]

"Crap!"

copying?

[Arctic Dragon]

I hope the US government doesn't sue for copyright infringement.

Re:copying?

[TykeClone]

It could be a DCMA violation of reverse engineering?

Thank god for the Senate

[canwaf]

This worries me, the DMCA has simply be used as a hammer to knock people around who practise fair use. Canada's copyright laws are perfectly fine the way they are, and continue to strike a pleasant balance between the rights of the population, and the rights of the creators.

Since the CRIA is behind this push, we can only assume that they have the ear of the House of Commons. They were the ones who wanted, and got, taxes on recordable media given to them to promote "Canadian Talent", but they can't have it both ways...

I sincerely believe that the Senate Committee which will be spawned by the proposed amendments to the Copyright Act come around will probably come to the same conclusion as they have before.

The DMCA in the US has been a dismal failure, and there is no need to repeat this same error in Canada.

Re:Thank god for the Senate

[SpaceLifeForm]

So, you have not gotten enough loonie to change your tune, eh?

Re:Thank god for the Senate

[Guppy06]

So an unelected body will serve as the protector of people's rights? I want a senate, too!

Re:Now on /.

[graphicsguy]

That is incredible. No blathering commentary - just the article.

Unpossible!

[Seumas]

How can that be? Canadians are always telling me how superior their country is and how much more respect their country has for their rights and privacy and liberal consumer copyright use. Are you telling me that... they were wrong?! *gasp*

Re:Unpossible!

[merdark]

Save your sarcasm for the case that the bill passes. Also, note that they were not wrong. Even now, Canadians enjoy far more liberal fair use raights than Americans. Just because that 'might' change in the future, does not negate the fact that we enjoy better rights now and have for at least two years previous.

And american upset that their country is not the best at everything? *gasp* what a shocker!

In other news....

[numbski]

"The Canadian government politely asks its citizens to 'bend over'".

How to defeat this legislation

[stinerman]

It all depends on who your MP is.

If you have a Liberal MP ... well good luck I have no advice for you, they're pushing the bill.

If you have a Conservative MP, base your objections on the fact that this bill is designed to harmonize IP law with the rest of the world. Who cares about the rest of the world? Canada for Canadians!

If you have a BQ MP, start ranting about how this bill threatens French Canadian culture.

Finally, if you have an NDP MP, simply tell the truth. This is a sellout to wealthy corporations.

Re:How to defeat this legislation

[canwaf]

And if your MP is Carylon Parrish, just say that it's based off an American law...

Re:How to defeat this legislation

[stinerman]

Actually, I was expecting at least one:

"Chuck Cadman is my MP, you insensitive clod!" post.

Re:How to defeat this legislation

[canwaf]

Chuck Cadman needs to start insulting large nations before people actually realise who he is.

Canada copies the DMCA

[snorklewacker]

USA responds by sending a takedown notice to Canada.

Write your MPs!

[MarkRose]

If you don't know how to contact them, you can find them on this page [parl.gc.ca]. Remember that a written letter carries more weight than an email or a fax.

Re:Write your MPs!

[Amnenth]

I'm within walking distance of my MP's office. Might the letter carry more weight if I deliver it by hand?

Re:Write your MPs!

[MarkRose]

In some places in Canada, your MP is more than a 500 km drive away. I am used to a rural perspective, having never lived in a major urban center. Obviously, presenting your letter in person is far better. :)

Well, they could always move to France

[Mycroft_514]

See other article where France declared P2P legal.

Re:Well, they could always move to France

[nickos]

Yeah, but unfortunately it looks like the EU is going to copy Software Patents.

Maybe I'm being cynical but it looks like the US legislature has been bought by the corporations, and the rest of the western world feels it has to imitate the US to remain competitive... It's a race to the bottom and we're the losers.

Will they repeal the media tax?

[sconeu]

Not a chance in hell, but now you're paying taxes to be able to do something which will now be illegal.

Whatever happened to freedom ?

[darthgnu]

It seems they have decided to value convenience(political that is) over freedom of it's citizens. People often forget copyright was created to benefit the public and not for companies to get the maximum possible profit from a single work.

The only way to protect your fair use rights

[alexo]

is to fight for them.

While you're at it, hop over to the CIPO [strategis.gc.ca] site and check what other wonderful "initiatives" they have (hint: Patent Law Harmonization with the US [strategis.gc.ca]).

Then head over to IPP [ic.gc.ca] and read their report on copyright reform [ic.gc.ca], or hop over to other parts of strategis [ic.gc.ca] and read about the Copyright Reform Process [ic.gc.ca]

Canadians have taken their government for granted for far too long, it's time to remind them that they answer to the people, not the corporations.

Bug your Members of Parliament (find yours [parl.gc.ca]).
Bu

Love the quote

[JediTrainer]

From the article: "If someone discovered the combination of your bike lock, should they be able to publish it? I think the making it public part is the real sticking point."

I would agree that no, the shouldn't be allowed to publish your bike lock combination. However, if someone discovered that the bike lock can be opened by sticking a pen in it [wired.com], I should have a right to know that the lock I bought has a serious vulnerability. And the way for me to find out about it is that this information has been published.

analogy

[Zork the Almighty]

The article gives a funny analogy.

"If someone discovered the combination of your bike lock, should they be able to publish it? I think the making it public part is the real sticking point."

I dread to think of a society where the answer to that question is no. Of course, a better analogy is that someone discovers that every bike lock can be opened by 1234. Or maybe with a Bic pen. Should they be allowed to publish that ?

Re:analogy

[Dachannien]

If they really want an analogy, here's one: the anti-decryption portion of the DMCA is equivalent to making it illegal to pick bike locks (to bring it home to the original poor analogy). Now, if it's my lock, and I paid to be able to use the bike personally however I want, why should the government tell me I'm not allowed to use picks on my bike lock if I prefer not to use the key (or if I'm not given one in the first place)?

Letter Is In The Mail

[Supernoma]

I just wrote my MP, this shit isn't going to fly with me.

Vomit.

[Tragek]

Oh goodness. This could make someone feel ill quite easily. The reprecussions of this happening will be bad. Very bad.

what?

[mr_burns]

What have they been smoking up there? oh wait...

DMCA violation??

[MacRonin]

Can they do this?? Isn't the DMCA copyright protected?? ;-)